Pelletizing alkali metal polysilicates

ABSTRACT

A method for producing alkali metal polysilicates is disclosed. Polysilicates, produced by hydrothermally reacting an aqueous dispersion of finely-divided silica and an alkali metal hydroxide are spray dried and the solid product is fractured and pulverized. The fractured mass is then pelletized employing the solubility of the polysilicates to form a free-flowing product having a continuous, even surface. Pelletization may be effected with or without the use of water and/or binders.

This is a division of application Ser. No. 193,471 filed Oct. 28, 1971, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,835,216, issued Sept. 10, 1974.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to the production of alkali metal silicates and more particularly to a unique process for producing alkali metal polysilicates having a high bulk density and free-flow properties.

2. DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

As known in the art, alkali silicates can be manufactured by the so-called "fusion" process wherein a mixture of sand and an alkali metal salt are fused at temperatures sufficiently high to volatilize the acid radical of the salt used. The "glass" thus produced is then cooled and dissolved in water, usually at elevated temperatures and pressures, to yield a product suitable for commercial use. For use in detergents, such silicates are conventionally converted into the hydrated solid form by concentrating the solution, removing the silicates by crystallization and thereafter drying the crystals.

A further known method for producing silicates is the "wet digestion" method wherein a solution of finely divided silica, rendered soluble by digestion with a concentrated solution of caustic alkali, is evaporated and cooled to a suitable crystallization temperature.

Examples of the above and further techniques for producing alkali metal silicates are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,161,515; 2,282,018; 2,357,723 and 3,271,317.

In this regard, and again as is well known in the art, detergent compositions conventionally contain a detergent compound i.e., a surfactant and a "builder", the latter serving in part, to increase the effectiveness of the detergent component. Phosphate compounds, such as sodium tripolyphosphate, have been used somewhat extensively as builders in detergents for many years. However, the use of other inorganic salts including alkali metal silicates, carbonates, borates and the like is, also, known. An example of built detergent compositions disclosing the use of the above noted inorganic materials is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,392,121 which issued July 9, 1968 to Gedge.

While the use of silicates as builders is known as indicated above, commercially available products do not, in general, have properties, e.g., density, moisture content, etc., such that they may be used as a direct replacement for polyphosphates and the like.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Stated broadly, the present invention is directed to the production of alkali metal polysilicates which may be used directly in detergents and as replacement for polyphosphates. The products of the invention when used in detergent formulations yield compositions with at least equal detergency with formulations containing phosphates and thus are superior to known silicate or other inorganic salt "builders".

In summary, the unique polysilicates of the present invention are produced by the hydrothermal treatment of a dispersion or suspension of silica and an alkali metal hydroxide. The reaction mixture, upon completion of the hydrothermal synthesis, is spray dried, milled and pelletized in a unique manner, as will be described in detail hereinafter, to produce polysilicates having particularly advantageous properties. The products of the invention, which may also be used in the production of adhesives, silica gel, in textiles, water treatment and the like, have polysilicate ions in a highly polymerized, irreversible state.

In accordance with a second method embodiment alkali metal polysilicates are prepared in accordance with the invention by the inclusion of sulfate salts in the reaction mass during the hydrothermal synthesis of said alkali polysilicates.

It is accordingly a general object of this invention to provide a new and improved process for producing alkali metal polysilicates.

Another object is to provide a new and improved process for producing polysilicates by the hydrothermal reaction of finely divided silica and a caustic alkali.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide an improved process comprising the hydrothermal synthesis of alkali metal polysilicates and the further processing of the synthesized product in a manner such that the final product has a relatively high density, low moisture content, and may be used as a direct replacement for phosphates in detergents. Yet still another object is to provide a new and improved process for producing polysilicates, said process providing high flexibility in the production of polysilicates having given or predetermined properties.

The manner in which the foregoing and other objects are achieved in accordance with the present invention will be better understood in view of the following detailed description and accompanying drawings, which form a part of the specification and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic illustration, shown in elevation, of a suitable arrangement of apparatus for carrying out a particularly advantageous method embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic illustration, shown in elevation, of a further apparatus embodiment which may be used in conjunction with the practice of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a pictorial illustration of the product produced in accordance with the present invention; said product being shown at the various stages of post processing in accord with the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)

In its broadest aspect, the present invention relates to the production of alkali metal polysilicates, having particularly desired and predetermined properties, by the hydrothermal reaction or digestion, under certain controlled conditions, of an aqueous suspension of finely divided silica and a caustic alkali. The resulting synthesized product is spray dried and thereafter fractured, pulverized and subjected to pelletization so as to form particles having continuously even surfaces.

In accordance with the present invention, an aqueous suspension or dispersion of finely divided silica (SiO₂) and an alkali hydroxide, e.g., sodium hydroxide, are subjected to hydrothermal treatment for a period of time sufficient to transform the reactants into alkali metal silicates that are at least partially polymerized and which, as stated above, contain polysilicate ions in a polymerized, irreversible state.

As used herein the term finely-divided silica refers to a finely divided powder containing at least 99% SiO₂ and having a particle size at least 95% of which are no larger than 75 microns. Silica powders, referred to in the art as "silica flour" or its equivalent are suitable.

The alkali metal hydroxide employed is preferably sodium hydroxide (NaOH). However, other alkali metal hydroxides, i.e., metals of Group Ia of the Periodic Table may be employed. These include potassium, lithium, rubidium, cesium and francium hydroxide.

At this point it may be noted, and as is generally known in the art, alkali metal silicates having a silica to sodium oxide weight ratio (SiO₂ /Na₂ O) on the order of about 1.5:1 are in simple ionic form. As indicated, the present invention is directed to a process for making an alkali metal polysilicate that is at least partially polymerized. Therefore the concentration of the reactants i.e., silica and the alkali metal hydroxide, is critical to the extent that said concentrations must be such that the SiO₂ /Na₂ O weight ratio of the product is at least 18:1. In accordance with the present invention, it has been discovered that products having SiO₂ /Na₂ O weight ratios of from about 1.8:1 to 2.7:1 are particularly advantageous. Thus in a preferred practice of the invention and when employing NaOH (expressed as Na₂ O) as the alkali metal hydroxide, the initial composition of the reactants (on a dry basis) is from about 64 to 74 percent by weight SiO₂ and from about 36 to 36 percent by weight Na₂ O. The amount of water employed is critical to the extent that the reaction mixture must be fluid. Also it has been found that very dilute reaction mixtures effect a substantial decrease in the rate of reaction. Preferably, the weight percent of the water based on the total weight of the reaction mixture, is from about 20 to 60 percent.

As will be described in more detail hereinafter, the hydrothermal treatment of the aqueous dispersion of finely divided silica and hydroxide is effected in a closed vessel at temperatures above the boiling point of the aqueous suspension being treated and under the elevated pressures obtained at such temperatures. Any suitable pressurized equipment, provided with means for maintaining the aqueous mixture under high agitation and provided with means (e.g., a steam jacket) for maintaining the dispersion at the desired temperatures and pressures, may be employed.

The hydrothermal treatment of the silica/caustic dispersion may be conducted at temperatures in the range of from about 280° to 410° F. and corresponding pressures of about 65 psig to 290 psig, respectively. Preferred temperature ranges are from 310° to 350° F. The reaction time is a function of the temperature employed. Reaction periods on the order of about 2.5 - 4.5 hours are required for the above identified temperature ranges, it being of course understood that higher temperatures result in reduced reaction times.

Turning now to the more specific details of the invention and with reference first to FIG. 1, an alkali metal hydroxide, such as sodium hydroxide, preferably in the form of a concentrated solution containing at least 50% NaOH, is charged to an agitated reaction vessel indicated generally at 1. Thereafter the finely-divided silica, which is also preferably introduced as an aqueous slurry, is charged to the reaction vessel. Suitable means are provided in the reactor for maintaining the aqueous dispersion under constant agitation during the charging as well as the reaction period. If desired, the concentrated caustic solution may be preheated to the reaction temperature prior to the introduction of the silica slurry. If the caustic solution is not preheated, the aqueous solution containing the silica and hydroxide is initially preheated to that temperature at which the hydrothermal synthesis is to be conducted. The reaction mixture is maintained at the pre-selected reaction temperature, again while maintaining same under continuous agitation, for a period of time to effect substantially complete transformation of the silica and hydroxide into the alkali metal polysilicate. reaction At the end of the reaction period, the react on vessel is vented and the mixture is passed, preferably by gravity, into a drop tank 2 which contains dilution water at approximately room or ambient temperatures. In this manner the temperature of the reaction mixture is cooled quickly and efficiently and the weight ratio of the reaction product to water adjusted to the concentration required for the spray drying of the product as described hereinbelow.

The aqueous mixture in the drop tank is preferably passed through a clarification filter 3 to remove small quantities of insolubles, such as sand, unreacted silica and the like. The clarified aqueous mixture may then be passed into a hold or storage tank 4, or fed directly into the upper portion of a spray dryer, indicated generally at 5.

With reference to FIG. 1, the aqueous mixture is introduced into the upper portion of the generally upright or vertical, cylindrical chamber 6 of the spray dryer 5 and passes through a rotating wheel or spray nozzle 7. The latter causes the aqueous mixture to be finely and evenly dispersed within said chamber and in direct contact with a mass of upwardly directed hot gas, i.e., air, introduced through conduit means 8. Suitable control valves (not shown) may be provided for regulating the rate of feed of the reaction mixture, as well as that of the upwardly directed air, into the spray dryer. In accordance with the present invention, the spray drying is preferably effected at relatively high temperatures, with particularly advantageous inlet air temperatures being on the order of from about 400° to 1000° F. In this manner, the "flashing off" of the water in the spray dryer is effected rapidly with the resultant spray dried droplets being in the form of hollow microspheres.

Turning now to the more specific details of the present invention, the spherical polysilicate droplets are collected at the bottom of the spray dryer and are fed (as by a screw conveyor) into a suitable milling apparatus 9 which serves to fracture and pulverize the hollow spheres so that the density of the resulting fractured particles is increased to at least 25 lbs/cubic foot.

The fractured and pulverized particles are next passed into a rotating pelletizer drum or cylinder such as indicated at 10 and 11 which serve to reduce the surface irregularities of the fractured particles and to form a product having continuously even surfaces.

In this regard, and as is known in the art, pelletization has been carried out for many years by various techniques and apparatus. Two extensively used pelletizers are the rotating drum type and the pin mixer type. In general, the latter type is utilized most frequently with materials requiring the use of wet methods of pelletization employing water and/or other suitable binders.

In accordance with the present invention it has been discovered that the fractured polysilicate particles can be pelletized to form a product having continuously even surfaces and a high density by specified pelletizing techniques. While pelletizing is well known, in general, in the art, prior to the present invention pelletization has been largely limited to insoluble, relatively free flowing solids, as for example, carbon black and the like. The polysilicates of the present invention are, of course, soluble. When the spray dried product is fractured, such as shown in the second stage of FIG. 3, the particles have sharp and uneven surfaces. It has been discovered, however, that such fractured particles can be pelletized, with water, to form free flowing, spherical particles having high bulk density. It appears that the water serves to dissolve the outer surfaces of the sharp-edged particles. However, the drying step may be effected in such a manner so that the percentage of moisture retained in the material is relatively high and the addition of substantial amounts of water is not necessarily required.

The temperature of the fractured particles in the rotary drum or pelletizer is not critical, although at temperatures on the order of about 30°- 150° C. or higher, the particles become somewhat plastic in nature, a characteristic which may assist in obtaining the desired reduction of the surface irregularities of the particles. The pelletization may, of course, be carried out at ambient temperatures.

The rotary drum pelletizer may also be a rotary dryer which serves the dual function of effectively reducing the surface irregularities as well as reducing the moisture content of the product to a desired level. If required, the pelletized product may be fed into additional secondary dryers which may be employed to reduce the moisture content, as desired. The product may, then, be passed through suitable screening apparatus to produce a product having a desired particle size or range. While the apparatus employed in the present invention are well known, per se, the sequence of steps disclosed herein are unique particularly to the extent that soluble polysilicate products having particularly desirable properties, i.e., a percent moisture content of less than 20 percent, a density on the order of 20-70 lbs/cubic foot and a particle size of minus 8 plus 100 mesh (Tyler screen size), can be produced from a high temperature spray dried product.

As discussed in U.S. Ser. No. 193,484, filed Oct. 28, 1971, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,879,527, it has been discovered that the inclusion of a sulfate salt in the reaction mixture, during the hydrothermal synthesis of the polysilicate, improves the stability of the reaction mixture and enhances the polymerization thereof. It is believed that the sulfate serves as a promoter or catalyst for the polymerization and also forms a complex with the alkali metal polysilicate thus produced. It has also been uniquely discovered that products produced in this manner, i.e., salt induced polymerization, have particularly advantageous properties, again for reasons not fully understood, as builders in detergents.

In practicing the teachings of this application, the sulfate salt is preferably included in the silica slurry prior to its introduction into the reaction vessel 1. The term sulfate salt refers to a sulfate salt of an alkali metal, such as sodium, potassium, etc. as set forth above. The sulfate salt may be added to the reaction vessel in amounts such that, on a theoretical basis, same would constitute from about 5 to 20% by weight of the spray dried product. The process variables, e.g., reaction temperatures as well as the further processing steps, spray drying, etc., are the same in the second method embodiment as in the first, as described in detail above.

The pelletization and post treatments of the present invention may advantageously be carried out on either or both of the above described products.

As will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art, the unique process of the present invention may be carried out batchwise or on a semi-continuous or continuous basis. As known, continuous or semi-continuous processes involve a continuous mixing operation in which the reactants, i.e., the silica and sodium hydroxide, are continuously proportioned into a suitable reaction vessel, the reaction mixture then being continuously discharged therefrom. Since the reaction time of the present invention is on the order of 2.5 - 4.5 hours a continuous operation would generally require a number of reactors or autoclaves in series so that the required retention time could be established. Alternately an elongated tubular reactor, provided with suitable baffles, heat transfer means, etc. could be designed.

Before turning to specific examples of the present invention, and again as briefly discussed above, the unique alkali metal polysilicates of the present invention have particular utility for use as builders in detergent compositions. Thus an important object of the invention is to provide a detergent composition comprising a surfactant and, as a builder, the novel polysilicates of the present invention, the latter being employed as a direct replacement for polyphosphates. In this regard, the builder of the invention may be used with any of the conventional detergent classes, i.e., synthetic non-soap anionic, nonionic and/or amphoteric surface active compounds which are suitable as cleansing agents. Anionic surface active compounds can be broadly described as compounds which contain hydrophilic or lyophilic groups in their molecular structure and which ionize in an aqueous medium to give anions containing the lyophilic group. These compounds include the sulfated or sulfonated alkyl, aryl and alkyl aryl hydrocarbons and alkali metal salts thereof, for example, sodium salts of long chain alkyl sulfates, sodium salts of alkyl naphthalene sulfonic acids, sodium salts of sulfonated abietenes, sodium salts of alkyl benzene sulfonic acids particularly those in which the alkyl group contains from 8-24 carbon atoms; sodium salts of sulfonated mineral oils and sodium salts of sulfosuccinic acid esters such as sodium dioctyl sulfosuccinate.

Advantageous anionic surfactants include the higher alkyl aryl sulfonic acids and their alkali metal and alkaline earth metal salts such as for example sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate, sodium tridecyl sulfonate, magnesium dodecyl benzene sulfonate, potassium tetradecyl benzene sulfonate, ammonium dodecyl toluene sulfonate, lithium pentadecyl benzene sulfonate, sodium dioctyl benzene sulfonate, disodium dodecyl benzene disulfonate, disodium diisopropyl naphthalene disulfonate and the like as well as the alkali metal salts of fatty alcohol esters of sulfuric and sulfonic acids, the alkali metal salts of alkyl aryl (sulfothioic acid) ethers and the alkyl thiosulfuric acid, etc.

Nonionic surface active compounds can be broadly described as compounds which do not ionize but usually acquire hydrophilic characteristics from an oxygenated side chain, such as polyoxyethylene, while the lyophilic part of the molecule may come from fatty acids, phenols, alcohols, amides or amines. Examples of nonionic surfactants include products formed by condensing one or more alkylene oxides of 2 to 4 carbon atoms, such as ethylene oxide or propylene oxide, preferably ethylene oxide alone or with other alkylene oxides, with a relatively hydrophobic compound such as a fatty alcohol, fatty acid, sterol, a fatty glyceride, a fatty amine, an aryl amine, a fatty mercaptan, tall oil, etc. Nonionic surface active agents also include those products produced by condensing one or more relatively lower alkyl alcohol amines (such as methanolamine, ethanolamine, propanolamine, etc.) with a fatty acid such as lauric acid, cetyl acid, tall oil fatty acid, abietic acid, etc. to produce the corresponding amide.

Particularly advantageous nonionic surface active agents are condensation products of a hydrophobic compound having at least 1 active hydrogen atom and a lower alkylene oxide (for example the condensation product of an aliphatic alcohol containing from about 8 to about 18 carbon atoms) and from about 3 to about 30 mols of ethylene oxide per mol of the alcohol, or the condensation product of an alkyl phenol containing from about 8 to about 18 carbon atoms in the alkyl group and from about 3 to about 30 mols of ethylene oxide per mol of alkyl phenol. Other advantageous nonionic detergents include condensation products of ethylene oxide with a hydrophobic compound formed by condensing propylene oxide with propylene glycol.

Amphoteric surface active compounds can be broadly described as compounds which have both anionic and cationic groups in the same molecule. Such compounds may be grouped into classes corresponding to the nature of the anionic-forming group, which is usually carboxy, sulfo and sulfato. Examples of such compounds include sodium N-coco beta amino propionate, sodium N-tallow beta amino dipropionate, sodium N-lauryl beta iminodipropionate and the like.

Other typical examples of these categories of the anionic, nonionic and/or amphoteric surface active agents are described in Schwartz and Perry "Surface Active Agents" Interscience Publishers, New York (1949) and the Journal of American Oil Chemists Society, volume 34, No. 4, pages 170-216 (April 1957) which are incorporated herein by reference.

The amount of polysilicate builder necessary to be used with the surface active compound (active) may vary depending upon the end use, type of active employed, pH conditions and the like. In general, the builders can be employed in detergent compositions in any desired proportions. The optimum active/builder ratio depends upon the particular active employed and the end use for which the detergent composition is intended but most generally will fall within the range of active/builder weight ratio of about 10:1 to 1:10 and preferably about 4:1 to 1:4.

Detergent compositions produced in accordance with the present invention can be prepared in any of the commercially desirable compositions forms such as bar, granular, flake, liquid and tablet form. It should be understood that the present invention is not limited to any particular method for preparing the detergent compositions containing the builder and the surfactant. Such techniques are well known in the industry. Thus, e.g., the builder may be mechanically mixed in the surfactant in the form of a slurry or dissolved in a solution of the surfactant. Additionally, the builder may be admixed with the surfactant in any of the forms in which the surfactant is manufactured.

The invention will be further illustrated by the following examples which set forth particularly advantageous method and composition embodiments. While the examples prove to illustrate the present invention they are not intended to limit it thereto.

PREPARATION OF ALKALI-METAL POLYSILICATES EXAMPLE 1

9,476 lbs. of a 50% NaOH solution was charged to a stainless steel autoclave provided with means for continuously agitating the solution. A silica slurry, prepared by dispersing 9,269 lbs. of silica flour into 5,054 lbs. of water, was then charged to the reactor. The autoclave was sealed and the temperature of the aqueous mixture preheated (by the introduction of steam into an exterior steam jacket) to 315° F. (100 psig) over a one hour period. The reaction mixture was thereafter maintained at this temperature for three hours. Continuous agitation was maintained throughout the heat up and reaction period. At the end of the three hour reaction cycle, the steam was shut off and the autoclave partially vented to reduce the pressure to about 60 psig. The vent was then fully opened, the pressure in the autoclave being reduced to 20 psig. At this time a bottom outlet valve of the autoclave was opened and the reaction mixture fed by gravity into a drop tank positioned beneath the autoclave and containing 15,144 lbs. of H₂ O at 77° F. The mixture in the drop tank was pumped through a clarification filter and introduced into the upper portion of a spray dryer of the type illustrated in FIG. 1. The aqueous mixture was fed into the spray dryer at a rate of 21,100 lbs. per hour, the concentration of the mixture comprising 4 lbs. of sodium polysilicate per gallon. The speed of the spray wheel or nozzle was about 11,000 rpm. The spray dryer inlet and outlet air temperatures were 600° and 220° F. respectively. The spray dried product was collected and withdrawn from the base of the spray dryer by a screw conveyor and passed into a high impact mill which fractured and pulverized the spherical particles. In this example 12,480 lbs. of sodium polysilicate, having a SiO₂ /Na₂ O weight ratio of 2.4:1 and a density of 24No./ft³ was recovered from the spray dryer. The percentage of moisture in the spray dried product was 22%. The milling operation increased the density of the product to about 38No./ft³. The product was next passed into a 4 foot I.D. × 10 foot long rotary drum type pelletizer. No binder was employed in the pelletization of the fractured particles. However, water was added such that the percent moisture content of the solids was increased to 30%. It was found that the tumbling and pelletizing action of the rotary drum, also, had the effect of rounding off the sharp edges of the fractured particles from the milling action so that the particles had continuously even surfaces. This fact was unexpected due to the nature of the fractured particles. Milled and/or spray dried material was then added to the pelletized product in an amount sufficient to reduce the moisture content to 25% to improve the flow properties of the material. The material was dried at a temperture of 115° C. to 18% moisture.

EXAMPLE 2

The procedure of Example 1 was repeated except that the temperatures and pressures of the hydrothermal reaction were varied in a series of examples as shown by the following table.

                  TABLE 1                                                          ______________________________________                                                                          Reaction Time                                 Run No.                                                                               Temperature (°F)                                                                      Pressure (psig)                                                                            (minutes)                                     ______________________________________                                         1      260            50         270                                           2      280            64         240                                           3      320           104         180                                           4      350           149         175                                           5      380           210         160                                           6      410           290         150                                           ______________________________________                                    

The products obtained in these examples or runs were the same as that obtained in Example 1 and established that an increase in the temperature and pressure increased the rate of the hydrothermal synthesis. Further hydrothermal reactions, conducted at temperatures below 260° F. established that little polysilicate transformation was effected even for reaction periods on the order of 10 hours or longer.

EXAMPLE 3

In this example the procedure of Example 1 was repeated except that the polymerization of the polysilicate was induced by the addition of Na₂ SO₄ to the reaction mixture. Thus to the initial charge of the 50% NaOH solution (9,476 lbs.) there was added a silica slurry containing 9,269 lbs. of silica flour, 5,054 lbs. of H₂ O and 626 lbs. of Na₂ SO₄ (i.e., 11% sulfate solution based on the total weight of the sulfate and water).

EXAMPLE 4

In this example the general procedures of Examples 1-3 were repeated except that, in a series of tests conducted on a bench or laboratory scale basis, potassium, lithium, and cesium hydroxide were substituted for the sodium hydroxide. In these tests, to save time and expense, small quantities of the reactants, e.g., 132.6 grams potassium hydroxide, 92.69 grams silica flour and 50.54 grams of H₂ O were employed in laboratory equipment. However, these tests produced products having properties substantially the same as the product of Example 1.

EXAMPLE 5

In a series of tests the procedures of Examples 1 and 3 were repeated except that the quantities of reactants in the hydrothermal treatment were varied as indicated below.

                                      TABLE 2                                      __________________________________________________________________________     Reactants                  Product Obtained                                    Run No.                                                                              Wt. % SiO.sub.2                                                                       Wt.% NaOH                                                                             Wt. % H.sub.2 O                                                                       SiO.sub.2 /Na.sub.2 O Wt. Ratio                     __________________________________________________________________________     1     39.0   21.6   39.4   2.3                                                 2     42.5   17.7   39.8   2.5                                                 3     43.4   16.6   40.0   2.6                                                 4     43.8   16.2   40.0   2.7                                                 Reactants                  % Sulfate in Product                                Run No.                                                                              SiO.sub.2 /NaOH Wt. %                                                                    Na.sub.2 SO.sub.4 /H.sub.2 O Wt. %                                                        on theoretical basis                                __________________________________________________________________________     5     2.4       2.7         5%                                                 6     2.4       5.5        10%                                                 7     2.4       8.2        15%                                                 __________________________________________________________________________

In order to illustrate the use of the unique polysilicates, produced in accordance with the present invention, as builders in detergents, a polysilicate builder was compared under carefully controlled conditions, with sodium tripolyphosphate, sodium carbonate and a conventional sodium silicate. To obtain as accurate a measurement as possible of the builder properties of each of the compounds, none of the usual additives, such as fabric softeners, were used in the following tests. The tests were made in a Terg-O-Tometer machine on standard soiled fabric specimens. The surfactant employed was sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate with a 2:2.6 ratio of surfactant to builder. The test results are as shown in Table 3 below.

                                      Table 3                                      __________________________________________________________________________              Builder Only         Builder in Formulation                           Builder  % Ash                                                                              % Reflectance                                                                          % Soil Removal                                                                          % Ash                                                                              % Reflectance                                __________________________________________________________________________     Unsoiled                                                                       Cloth    0.04                                                                               100.0   --       0.04                                                                               100                                          STPP (1) 0.03                                                                               97.3    35       0.13                                                                               99.7                                             (2)  0.05                                                                               97.1    35       0.06                                                                               99.4                                         Na.sub.2 CO.sub.3 (1)                                                                   1.19                                                                               94.3    26       0.71                                                                               94.6                                              (2) 1.19                                                                               94.4    25       0.66                                                                               95.5                                         Known Sodium                                                                   Silicates (1)                                                                           0.37                                                                               98.7    30       0.37                                                                               98.7                                             (2)  0.37                                                                               98.6    30       0.37                                                                               98.6                                         Polysilicates                                                                  of Invention                                                                   Products of                                                                    Example 1                                                                               0.05                                                                               98.5    35       0.13                                                                               99.0                                         Example 2                                                                               0.03                                                                               98.6    35       0.13                                                                               99.5                                         Example 5                                                                       Runs (1)                                                                               0.18                                                                               98.5    35       0.13                                                                               99.0                                            (3)   0.08                                                                               98.5    35       0.13                                                                               98.9                                            (5)   0.06                                                                               98.6    35       0.13                                                                               99.1                                            (7)   0.05                                                                               98.6    35       0.13                                                                               99.3                                         __________________________________________________________________________

The above results indicate that the polysilicate builder of the present invention compares very favorably with sodium tripolyphosphate and is superior to conventional sodium silicates and sodium carbonates. Further, and as will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art, the low ratio (SiO₂ /Na₂ O) silicates currently commercially available are relatively expensive and are often not available in dry form because of high production cost and solubility factors common to e.g., "glass" furnace (fusion) silicate processes.

Thus it will be seen that the present invention provides a truly unique and simplified process for producing alkali metal polysilicates that have particular use as builders in detergents. The process of the invention permits high flexibility in the production of a product of any given or desired properties yet at the same time permits the use of standard chemical equipment. While pelletization has been carried out for many years as indicated above, it has largely been limited to insoluble particulates. The fact that the fractured particles as described herein can be pelletized to form a free flowing particle, having continuously even surfaces, is particularly remarkable.

It should be noted that it is envisioned within the scope of the present invention that one of ordinary skill in the art might wish, under appropriate circumstances to proceed to dry the spray dried product to the anhydrous condition and later add moisture to the product and pelletize.

Further, the combination of heat and moisture may be adjusted over a wide range to produce pellets suitable for a variety of applications within the scope of the present invention as these alternatives and others which will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art demonstrate. For example the density is generally decreased by increasing the drying temperature. The density is likewise decreased by increasing the percentage of water required to be added to the pelletizing process and the total percentage of water going into the dryer. Further it should be noted that all forms of pelletizing apparatus and agglomerators may be employed in the present invention.

In summary, spray dried material may be milled or micro-milled and passed by a mill feeder to a pelletizing drum in the final stages of which milled dry feedback material and/or spray dried material may be added as desired. The pelletized materials may then be passed into a lump breaker and thence to a rotary dryer. Following drying the material may be passed to a rotary, fluid bed or other suitable cooler. After cooling the material may then be screened with typically the minus 100 mesh material being returned to the spray dried feeder for re-introduction to the pelletizer and the plus 14 mesh material being added to a dissolver and returned to the spray dryer. The finished product is, of course, moved to packaging or loading.

As used herein "detergent(s)" refers to washing compositions in general including laundry detergents, dishwashing compounds and related materials. The term "agitating" as used herein refers to subjecting the particles to motion, most commonly tumbling motion to reduce surface irregularities and/or agglomerate. The range of polysilicate composition obtainable is controlled by reactor charge and includes SiO₂ /Na₂ O weight ratios of 1:1 to 2.6:1, preferably in the range 2:1 to 2.4:1 An important characteristic of these products is the controlled hydration which affects solubility and hence the functional utility of these products in detergency applications.

Density, particle sizes, particle shape and size distribution, and materials handling properties are important characteristics of the products of the present invention which may control these properties over a broad range. For example density may be varied from 0.4 g/cc (25 lbs/ft³) to in excess of 0.96 g/cc (60 lbs/ft³) while maintaining a size distribution of 15% maximum on a 65 mesh screen. It is also possible to produce the above mentioned density range but vary the size distribution so that substantially 100% of the particles are retained on a 65 mesh screen. The product of the present invention may be incorporated into detergent compositions as a predrying or post-drying additive.

Although a specific preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described in the detailed description above, the description is not intended to limit the invention to the particular forms or embodiments disclosed herein, since they are to be recognized as illustrative rather than restrictive and it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the invention is not so limited. The invention is declared to cover all changes and modifications of the specific example of the invention herein disclosed for purposes of illustration, which do not constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for pelletizing finely divided alkali metal polysilicate particles comprising the steps of:1. spray drying a silicate product by passing an aqueous mixture of silicate particles into the upper portion of a drying chamber and dispersing said mixture in the form of fine droplets in said chamber; the temperature of the inlet air to the spray drier being of the order of from about 400° to 1000° F.; whereby said droplets form minute hollow polysilicate microspheres;
 2. collecting said spherical polysilicate droplets from the spray dryer and passing to a milling apparatus;
 3. fracturing and pulverizing said hollow spheres in said milling apparatus to the extent that the density of the resulting fractured particles is increased to at least 25 lbs/cubic foot, and particles having sharp and uneven surfaces are formed;4. passing said milled product to a rotating pelletizer vessel;
 5. rotating said product in said rotating vessel at a temperature of 30°-150°C. while adding sufficient water thereto to increase the moisture content of the rotating product to 30%, said rotation and moisture content being sufficient to dissolve the outer surfaces of said milled particles and effect incipient fusion of two or more of said particles to form a plurality of free-flowing particles of the pelletized material having continuously even surfaces, a bulk density of at least 55 pounds per cubic foot and a particle size of minus 8 plus 100 mesh; and6. adding additional dry milled product to the resulting particles to reduce the moisture content to 25%. 